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The Ash Lands
This is still a W.I.P. 'The Ash Lands, the Ashen-born and House Traherne' To the West of Highever through the rolling hills you will find a land choked by smoke and ash. This place is known as the Ash Lands and it has been called such for as long as anyone can remember. Large rolling hills that transform into crags and small mountains with jutting cliffs are what dot the landscape here. What peace from the Ash Storms you may seek can only be found in the barren valleys in the shadows of the peaks. Many tribes had tried to enter into the Ash Lands, trying to tame the wild area, but almost all ended up leaving in disappointment. It was decried as a land of death and torment, unfit for any man to call home. One small tribe did however enter the Ash Lands and stay... inevitably calling it home. Though they did not come to the Ash Lands seeking a home they did find one. When the Warlord Balak called for all tribes to unite beneath his banner and march on the valleys one tribe did not answer, a small tribe consisting of just one clan. This clan was Clan Traherne, well known for their warriors so it was quite unexpected they would reject Balak. Rejecting his call for war Balak declared them no longer Avarr, threat of attack from other tribes became so great that Clan Traherne vanished in the night and moved north. Avoiding hostile lowlanders Clan Traherne tried to find a home yet everywhere they went they could not find safety. It was in this desperation near the northern coasts that it is said they came upon a pile of ash in the middle of a green clearing. When they approached the oddity it is said a massive bird made of fire sprang from the ashes. With a shrill cry it lifted up, ashes flowing from its body as it flapped its flamed wings. The leader of the clan named Barath found in the ashes a perfectly rounded ruby. Declaring the beast and this gem an omen he led the clan up into the Ash Lands. It was in these lands no one had wanted that Clan Traherne had finally found a home that was safe. Moving deep into the Ash Lands farther than anyone had tried to go before they found a ridgeline that rose up and gave them eyes over most of the Ash Lands. The valley beneath the ridge was even shielded from the worse of the ash and sparse vegetation grew. Making a camp for their clan here they began to learn how to live in these harsh conditions, adapting what they knew to what they needed to do. They gave up their nomadic lifestyle and began to worship what they called Ah'kaharok, their new god that had led them to safety. What truly changed the small clan though was when refugees from the Bannorn entered into the Ash Lands, trying to escape the Avarr led by Balak. Many wanted to expel these refugees but Barath, the leader of the tribe, declared that they would be no better than those they ran from only years ago. He welcomed the refugees and offered them protection. The refugees were unsure at first but soon enough accepted the offer. They built a small village in the valley beneath what they started to call Ashen Ridge. They began to farm what they could and the villagers started to refer to Barath as a Bann and his tribe and clan as a noble House. This started the joining of traditions and customs that make the Ashen-born and the Ash Lands themselves so unique. Barath and his family took on the name of the clan as their family name, becoming known as House Traherne. The few smaller families took on more lowlander sounding names though they all still considered each other clansmen. It is not uncommon in even these days that those within House Traherne and the smaller Ashen-born Houses refer to each other as clansmen. After Barath finally passed away his son came to rule over Ashen Ridge and the Ash Lands as a whole. In his days the light of the Maker started to spread into the Ash Lands.